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The “Rawken”

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Banjoman

Eager to learn and willing to teach.
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Took the “Rawken” out today for the first time since I assembled it a while back. It has a Renegade stock and a Hawken barrel, hence the name “Rawken “ as suggested by another member.

This was just some casual plinking at 25 yards with a basic load of 50 grains Pyrodex P, .495 round balls and spit lubed cotton patches. I was surprised with the results. I will definitely be shooting this gun a lot more.

I wanted to shoot more today but there were a lot of folks at the range trying (emphasis on trying) to sight in their plastic muzzleloaders which they hadn’t fired since last year. A guy beside me admitted to this and was surprised that the Rawken was shooting as good as his modern, scoped, plastic muzzleloader.
985EA28D-F2BE-42C0-9518-B79D8316E01A.jpeg
8A28A076-EE7F-40FB-BBBA-676395A641B1.jpeg
 
Took the “Rawken” out today for the first time since I assembled it a while back. It has a Renegade stock and a Hawken barrel, hence the name “Rawken “ as suggested by another member.

This was just some casual plinking at 25 yards with a basic load of 50 grains Pyrodex P, .495 round balls and spit lubed cotton patches. I was surprised with the results. I will definitely be shooting this gun a lot more.

I wanted to shoot more today but there were a lot of folks at the range trying (emphasis on trying) to sight in their plastic muzzleloaders which they hadn’t fired since last year. A guy beside me admitted to this and was surprised that the Rawken was shooting as good as his modern, scoped, plastic muzzleloader.View attachment 264780View attachment 264781
That's good shootin'
 
@Banjoman you see some interesting folks at that range right before ML season opens. I’ve yet to make a trip up there close to an opener when I didn’t have to explain to someone how to adjust their scope or sights.
 
Did you have to make any fitting or did, the Hawken barrel just drop in? Nice shooting and great looking rifle too!

I only had to shorten the under barrel rib at the back end so it would clear the stock. Since this barrel is 15/16“ and a Renegade barrel is 1”, it fit the stock just fine. The barrel is kinda rough inside and out, but it shoots just fine.
 
@Banjoman you see some interesting folks at that range right before ML season opens. I’ve yet to make a trip up there close to an opener when I didn’t have to explain to someone how to adjust their scope or sights.
Yeah! Some of what I saw today was plumb comical. It’s why I normally prefer to shoot on rainy or snowy days, when I have the range to myself.
 
Good shooting for not having developed the best load yet. Once you find that you'll be even more impressed. I love it when I go to the range and my groups are smaller than those who shoot rifles with no color.
 
Good shooting for not having developed the best load yet. Once you find that you'll be even more impressed. I love it when I go to the range and my groups are smaller than those who shoot rifles with no color.
Thanks. I really like this gun and look forward to more shooting.
 
Nice rifle, I have one of it's cousins "Hawgade" Long Range Green Mountain Renegade barrel on Hawken stock.

She's pretty and shoots better than I do, but "too shiny for field work".

Nice group. Watch it close up the more you shoot.
 
Well, I quickly lost interest in this gun. The bore is still rough and needs work which I just don’t want to do right now. I have other guns that shoot better and need range time. The Rawken has been cleaned, oiled and put back in the safe for now.
 
Neat gun Banjoman!!!! I bought my TC 45 capper back in 1974, still shoot it. Back in the day they were one of the most loved, most hated ML's to come down the pike. The nitpickers hated them because they were not like true Hawkens. Adjustable rear sight, only one barrel wedge, coil spring, too short of a barrel, wrong rifling, hooked breech, blued instead of browned-just the major ones. Well TC took all of the complaints to the bank as Bill Ruger did in the 1950's plus when he developed his single action revolver. Unfortunately, TC does nothing now except produce those IMO worthless whatever they call them ML (CVA no better), but the old TC Hawkens and Renegades still rule in a certain and popular class from all of TC's endeavors.

I've no problem with those who want a rifle/revolver to be pure built old time, shoot old time, and other nostalgic things, no sweat, while I'm not 100% into that, I do like to recreate a feeling of the 1700 and 1800's in shooting my black powder firearms, but I just ignore those who start in the 'not period correct' rants. Like I tell alot of my brothers on another forum who pick at a shooter whose holster has the wrong type of stitching for the time era he's trying to show and/or other things of 'who cares', I tell them that 1800 era pistolero's and lever action shooters weren't wearing $1000 plus prescription eye wear, BVD undies, using the latest whiz-bang loading accessories, or had the latest this or that added to or done to their armament. OK, this 2nd paragraph is a rant that has carried over from the days when many 'Buckskinners' of the day trashed a TC rifle, but I'll still stand and defend thee Ol TC Hawken and Renegade rifles.
 
Nice rifle. Very good group.

The problem was that was as good as it would group at 25 yards even from a rest. 50 yards is pitiful. I tried several times with different loads but nothing helped. The bore is very rough and needs some attention but I don’t feel like messing with it right now. Got other guns to shoot.
 
This is how a muzzleloader is supposed to shoot. Traditions Kentucky, .50 caliber percussion. 60 grains Scheutzen 2f, .495 Hornady round ball, spit lubed cotton patch, CCI #11 caps. 50 yards, bench rest.
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I like this gun and am happy with the accuracy. The Rawken just is not there yet and may never be.
 

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